Scarlet's Arches
by Lady Tiffy
Summary: Can Scarlet survive her arches, and become an Accepted of the White Tower? Rated for safety r/r plz
1. Per amore della famiglia

Disclaimer-Okay here goes, I don't own WoT. So that said here is my story. Though Scarlet is  
  
my percious charie.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Scarlet nodded to Soraya Sedai, and wondered what it could be about. Though having to  
  
leave the Aes Sedai's lesson on Tower Politics, was no loss in Scarlet's mind, she  
  
couldn't help but hope that she wasn't in trouble. She racked her brain trying to figure  
  
out what it was. As she existed the room she was meet by Serafim Sedai, an Assistant  
  
Mistress of Novices. Scarlet didn't even get a chance to ask her question before Serafim  
  
started to talk. "Aurora'Scarlet Como, it is time. You must ask no questions, and follow  
  
without delay. The Wheel waits on no woman."  
  
As they walked through the tower, going down deeper and deeper Scarlet thought. Her  
  
mind was buzzing with memories. Had she really been at the tower for so long? Was it  
  
really time for her to be raised? As they arrived at the great doors, her breath was taken  
  
away. They were so immense, and she knew that on the other side would be the arches.  
  
She met a set of green eyes just like hers and listened, "Aurora'Scarlet, I must tell you  
  
now what no woman hears until they reach this point. The first is this. Once you choose  
  
to begin, you must see this through until the end. If at any point during, you decide you  
  
cannot go on, we will see you put out from the Tower, never to return, with enough silver  
  
to last a year.   
  
She nodded that she understood. When she started she would see it through the end, she  
  
owned it to herself, her family, and so many more people. She listened to the second thing  
  
with the same attentiveness. "Second. To seek, to strive, is to know danger. Some women  
  
have entered the rings, and never came out. When the ter'angreal was allowed to quiet,  
  
they were simply not there. And they were never seen again. If you would survive, you  
  
must be steadfast. Falter, fail. This is your last chance to refuse, child. You do so now,  
  
and will have two more chances to continue. It is not a dishonor. What do you wish to  
  
do?"  
  
"I wish to continue, Aes Sedai," Scarlet said softly, for she knew that she could not turn  
  
back now. She had waited for so long for this, already lost so much for this dream.   
  
There wasn't anything more she could give up, the arches could do no more damage. So  
  
she thought as she undressed and stepped through the first arch.   
  
Scarlet looked around, something was wrong. She was here surrounding by her family in  
  
front of the fire. Yet she was sure they were all gone. Shaking her head she scolded  
  
herself mentally, *Don't be a light blinded fool. Can't you see they are all around you?*   
  
With a smile she listened as the family recounted their day. This was how life was  
  
suppose to be everyday. Sitting here in front of the fire with her father, brothers, and little  
  
sister Kara around her. Talking, laughing, have a wonderful time. She couldn't see her  
  
twin Aren, he was putting the two littlest ones Bren and Kara, who had fallen asleep in  
  
bed. But she could feel that he was happy, through the connection they shared. Aren was  
  
part of her soul, she would be incomplete without him. She knew that, and he knew he  
  
would be incomplete without her.  
  
She felt him there behind her, before he said anything. She always knew when he was  
  
there. It had something to do with them being twins. "Come Scarlet dearest, sing for us.   
  
Make us happy men." Soon all her brothers and father where repeating what Aren had  
  
said. And she knew, if she wanted them to shut up, so they didn't wake up the little one's  
  
she'd have to sing.   
  
"Okay you bloody fools, be quiet now before you wake up the little ones and I'll sing."  
  
she said with a laugh of liquid happiness. This was how it was every evening. Her  
  
family was perfect, and nothing could tear them apart she thought. She started singing  
  
her voice smooth as silk. Soon Tand had joined in with her. When the song came to an  
  
end she said, "Now, we all need to be getting to sleep. I know I need to be."  
  
"Baking day tomorrow?" Tylan asked. With a nod she headed upstairs to her room she  
  
shared with Kara. As she removed her dress she looked at Kara. Standing there in her  
  
shift in the pale moonlight she thought, *Little girl I am never going to let anything bad  
  
happen to you* With that she curled to sleep never knowing that it wouldn't last. That she  
  
would be awaken suddenly in the middle of the night.  
  
Some hours later Scarlet woke. She couldn't of told you what had woke her. She looked  
  
around seeing Kara thrashing in her bed. Hurrying over to the little girl she felt her  
  
forehead. Gasping at how hot it was. Where had this fever came from? For had Kara not  
  
been feeling perfectly all right when she was put to bed early that evening?   
  
She heard the door open and knew that it would be Aren. Knew that he would be able to  
  
feel her anguish through the connection they shared. "What is it Scarlet?"  
  
"Kara she is burning with fever, bring me a light, cold water, and my herb bag." she said  
  
not looking up. The front of her shift was already damp from sweat, that had been left by  
  
Kara as she cradled her.  
  
Minutes later Aren returned with a light, water, and her bag. She took her dress which  
  
was hanging on a hook. Tearing it into strips she dipped it in the water. Using it to sponge  
  
off the little girl.   
  
"Aren watch her," she said standing up. "I've got to go back some broth for her." she  
  
said forgetting all about her indecent attire. He nodded, for even if he had not wanted to  
  
he knew better to argue with Scarlet when she was like this. Her green eyes were the  
  
color of grass instead of their normal emerald hued. Grass, something so fresh, nice yet  
  
when Scarlet's eyes where that way it meant she was worried and fighting tears. Aren  
  
watched her hurry out the doors, and heard her clatter down the stairs as he stroked  
  
Kara's hair away from her face. The hair that was the same color as Scarlet's and his.  
  
Scarlet clattered down the stairs, knowing she was making large amounts of noise, but not  
  
caring if she woke everyone up. Her heart was racing, she had never seen a fever this bad  
  
appear so fast. As she got down stairs she came to halt noticing her whole family  
  
gathered around the fire, even Bren. As they all asked if Kara would be okay, she gave  
  
reassurance.   
  
"She'll be fine." she said with a smile. Her voice carrying more confidence then she felt.  
  
Her smile a forced one, and she was sure that everyone assembled around the fire could  
  
see that. But that did not matter, for she knew that they would believe what she said.   
  
Knew that they would because that is what they wanted to hear.  
  
  
  
As she moved to the kitchen she started to boil water. "Someone go get me some chicken  
  
from the smokehouse." she said not looking up, as she cut the onion to add to the water.   
  
Some minutes later some chicken sat in front of her. She did not look up but said,  
  
"Thank you." Not even knowing who she had said it to. When she added the chicken she  
  
put the lid on leaving it to simmer  
  
  
  
She headed towards the stairs only to be stopped by little Bren. He pulled on her skirt,  
  
"Scarlet."  
  
"Yes honey?" she asked bending down so she was at his level.  
  
"Is Kara going to be all right? Can I see her?"  
  
Her heart went out to him, "She will be fine. I promise you. But no you can't see her, I  
  
can't risk you getting sick too." she said giving him a hug.  
  
He nodded miserably and moved back to the fire to sit in their father's lap. Standing she  
  
went back to the kitchen. Ladling the broth into a bowl and grabbing a spoon. At the  
  
base of the stairs she paused looking around at her family. Feeling a pang of sadness as  
  
she hurried up the stairs as fast as she dared carrying hot broth. Aren meet her at the  
  
door, letting her pass him without saying anything. He sat down on her bed as she started  
  
trying to convince young Kara to drink some of the broth.  
  
Scarlet roused Kara out of her fevered sleep. "Scarlet?" she said weakly. Scarlet nodded  
  
with a smile.  
  
"Yes its me. I have some broth for you. Please drink it." she asked softly. With a moan  
  
and a shake of her head Kara refused. "Please, please take just a little." she said  
  
practically begging.  
  
Kara moaned but parted her swollen lips slightly. Just enough so Scarlet could get some  
  
of the broth down her throat. Scarlet's eyes glittered with unshed tears as Kara did as she  
  
was asked. "Light thank you." she whispered under her breath as the little girl fell back  
  
into a restless fever induced sleep. Setting the bowl out of the way she turned around into  
  
Aren's waiting arms.  
  
Aren held her close murmuring words of endearment to her. The unshed tears finally  
  
came as she buried her face in his chest. Finally the tears stopped and she looked up at  
  
him. Her green eyes were blood shot, and streaks ran down her face as she said, "Aren...I  
  
haven't said anything to anyone downstairs, but I am not sure if she'll make it."   
  
"There, there of course she'll be all right. Someone will go get the wisdom as soon as the  
  
first light of dawn peeks over the horizon" he said soothingly.  
  
She looked at him as if he was crazy, "That is not what I mean."  
  
"What then sister dearest do you mean?" he asked confused.  
  
"She may not make it to morning, and if she does she may not be the same once better.   
  
These kind of fevers can leave the brain messed up forever." she said in a broken sob.   
  
  
  
Yet the rest was cut off as Kara muttered in her sleep, and both Scarlet and Aren hurried  
  
over. "Get me more water." she said softly as she sponged Kara's sweat slicked face with  
  
a strip torn from her dress soaked in cold water.   
  
Sitting there holding her hand Scarlet felt useless. For she knew that there was nothing  
  
she could do . That it was up to the creator. All she could do was easy the little five  
  
year's suffering, but she couldn't make it go away. No matter how hard she tried. *How  
  
had this happened? How had she missed the signs that Kara was getting sick?* she asked  
  
her self as she picked up the little girl, moving her to her own bed so she could change the  
  
soaked linens. Once she had remade the bed with fresh linens she laid Kara back into the  
  
bed. Covering her up as she said to herself, *How could you of known? There were no  
  
signs where there?'*  
  
"No." she said out loud as she sat back down. She heard Aren close the door, "No what  
  
sister?" he asked setting the desired water down next to her.  
  
"Nothing." she said not wanting to try and explain it to him. Though if anyone could  
  
understand it would be him, for he was her twin. She felt a fierce urge to hug him and  
  
gave into it. All the while she was thinking, *Light I don't know what I am going to do if  
  
anything happens to Kara, for she is like a daughter to me. I've raised her since she was  
  
a babe. But I'd be at an even greater lose of what to do if something happened to you.   
  
My second half.* She looked into his eyes. Eyes that mirrored hers in shade and shape.   
  
She could read them without trouble. For his eyes like hers were mirrors to his soul.   
  
She could see worry for her and for Kara etched in the green depths that she stared in.  
  
"Don't worry." she said softly, "I'll be all right. So will Kara. I promise I won't let her  
  
leave us. I'll never leave either of you ever." she said as she kissed his check. He kissed  
  
her softly on her forehead.  
  
"I'll never leave you either Scarlet. I'll always be here for you." he said as she sank back  
  
  
  
to her knees next to Kara. She smiled at his words for she knew they were true. Far truer  
  
then her own words, even if she did not know it at the time. *The way   
  
back will come but once. Be steadfast* The voice came from somewhere in her mind. Yet  
  
it wasn't her own voice, it was someone else's voice. Though she was sure she had never  
  
heard those words before in her life.   
  
"Aren?" She asked seeing if he was there, even though she knew he would be.  
  
"Yes?" he said in reply puzzled that she had asked in such away as to suggest that he may  
  
not of been there.  
  
"Have you ever heard the words, The way back will come but once. Be steadfast?" she  
  
asked.  
  
"No, why?"  
  
"No reason at all, just wondering." she said turning to give him a smile. Trying to shrug  
  
it off, make it seem like it wasn't important. She knew though that she did not fool Aren  
  
for one minute. As Aren looked at her smile he knew, that she wasn't being honest. But  
  
he also knew that he could not force it out of her. That when she was ready she would say  
  
something, tell him what it was really about.  
  
Scarlet went back to tending to Kara, but not before she heard the words again in her  
  
mind. *The way will come but once. Be steadfast.* And from the corner of her eye she  
  
saw it. A silver arch, that beckon her to come. Standing up she looked around. Looked at  
  
the fragile form of Kara, at her twin Aren. Her twin who, if she stepped through that  
  
silver arch would be torn in two. Would lose his other half, as would she.   
  
Standing there with the words, *The way will come but once. Be steadfast* She saw that  
  
silver arch flicker as if it would disappear if she hesitated anymore. She ran towards it.   
  
Knowing she couldn't look back for if she did she wouldn't be able to go through that  
  
arch.   
  
Behind her Aren yell, begging her to stay, "Scarlet come back. Please don't leave. What  
  
about Kara. What about me? I can't go on without you. Your my twin, my other half."  
  
As she stepped into the arch she turned around and said, "I am sorry Aren, Kara. Please  
  
forgive me." The white light enclosed her, and she felt as if she was being torn into a  
  
thousand pieces. But nothing could compare with the pain of losing the connection with  
  
Aren. Of knowing that she had left Kara there to die, as well as left her whole family.  
  
She stumbled out of the arch, everything rushing back to her. She stood there looking at  
  
Aes Sedai gathered there, not saying anything. Instead she held her head in her hands, but  
  
no tears came. For she knew that there would be plenty of time for those later. For she  
  
still had two more arches to do. Which she could not do if she gave into tears, and grief  
  
for her family that she had left behind.  
  
"You are washed clean of what sin you may have done, and of those done against you.  
  
You are washed clean of what crime you may have committed, and of those committed  
  
against you. You come to us washed clean and pure, in heart and soul." The words  
  
spoken as the water sprinkled down her head seemed like they were far away.   
  
Pushing back wet strands of honey color hair from her face her green eyes burned with  
  
fire as she listened to Serafim Sedai say, "The second Arch is for what is. The way back  
  
will come but once. Be steadfast."  
  
Stepping through the second arch she was consumed by white light. Her last thought was,  
  
*Nothing can be worse then leaving my family. Leaving my twin, and Kara my little sister  
  
who was like my daughter.* 


	2. Fascini di un Uomo Pazzo

Disclaimer- I still don't own WoT, but I still own Scarlet  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Scarlet hummed to herself as she fixed her hair, grinning as her great serpent ring  
  
caught the light. She had been Accepted for two whole glorious months, and  
  
tonight she was going to her first festival as an Accepted. Her green dress,  
  
matched her eyes perfectly and looked stunning on her, never again would she go  
  
to a festival in novice whites again, nor would she ever wear novice whites again.  
  
Had Scarlet been more aware of her surroundings, she would have heard the  
  
squeak of the door being opened.   
  
As to the fact that her mind was on other things, like whether or not she would get  
  
to see Tarin tonight, she did not see the person who slipped into her room, not  
  
until it was too late to do anything about it. With nimble fingers she twisted  
  
strands of hair up into a detailed design on the top of her head, it was long she did  
  
this, that she saw something behind her in the mirror. She went to turn around, but  
  
was not quick enough, for just as she did the heavy weighted base of an old brass  
  
lamp came in contact with the back of her skull. She crumbled to the floor, with  
  
the sound of man's laughter in her ears.  
  
He picked her up, cradling Scarlet in his arms, much like he did when she was  
  
fifteen. Though the woman in his arms now was no longer a fifteen-year-old girl,  
  
but was a mature twenty-year-old woman. Had it really been that long, since  
  
Scarlet and his engagement had been broken, by the fact that she could channel?  
  
The festival had already started, and for that Jet Loret was glad. It would make  
  
getting Scarlet and himself out of this tower all the more easy, with the halls  
  
practically deserted. He had already scouted the route he would use to the front of  
  
the tower, where a carriage waited for him and his new lady friend.   
  
Jet sighed with relief as he saw that the gates of Far Madding loomed in front of  
  
the carriage. Scarlet was still out, not due to the lump on the back of her head but  
  
because every time she had roused he had got her to drink tea, laced with fork  
  
root. Fork root, what a wonderful herb it was. It would keep Scarlet groggy and  
  
unable to channel. Though once in Far Madding he wouldn't have to worry about  
  
that. For the guardian would take care of that.  
  
Just as the carriage stopped at the gate Scarlet moaned in her sleep. He reached  
  
out and with a loving hand creased her face whispering, "Don't worry darling,  
  
soon we'll have you home to mother." He stepped out of the carriage and said to  
  
the guard searching it, "Please be careful not to disturb my wife. She is ill." The  
  
man nodded before continuing. Jet gave his sword to have it peace bonded, and  
  
gave his name to the guard.   
  
"Would you be Alisin Loret's son?" he asked. When Jet nodded, he grinned and  
  
said, "Why didn't you say so sooner? Go ahead and go in. I hope your wife gets  
  
better soon." Jet thanked the man, and climbed back into the carriage.  
  
"Head toward home, Kaque."  
  
As soon as they arrived to the house, he had Scarlet, his beautiful Scarlet, who had  
  
saved herself for him moved to the chamber next to his.  
  
Upon waking Scarlet found herself laying in a soft bed, and in a grand chamber.  
  
She instinctively reached for Saidar, only to find it unreachable. It was still there  
  
so she knew she had not been stilled, she knew it couldn't be fork root either, for if  
  
it was she would be groggy, very groggy. Which meant one or two things, she was  
  
either in an Ogier stedding or in the famed city of Far Madding, though looking  
  
around this room she highly doubted that she was in an Ogier stedding, which  
  
meant she was in Far Madding. The question was though, how in bloody light had  
  
she got here, to Far Madding, and who had knocked her out? Soon very soon, her  
  
questions would be answered for she heard the opening of a door.   
  
"Good morning, my dear Scarlet." Said the voice, that sounded so familiar to her,  
  
yet for the life of her, she could not put a name or a face to it. She screamed as the  
  
face came into view, Jet Loret, stood there laughing at her scream. "Screaming  
  
won't help you my dear."  
  
"Yyyyour dead. Mathias killed you." She stuttered.  
  
"No, your lover boy, well ex lover boy, thought he did."   
  
Scarlet just looked in horror at him. This couldn't be happening, she closed her  
  
eyes telling herself that this was all a bad dream. That when she opened them  
  
again, she would be back in her room in the tower.   
  
"One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight . . . nine . . .  
  
ten." She said softly under her breath and opened her eyes, only to find herself still  
  
in the room. She went to move only to find that she ached in place which she  
  
should not unless . . . Her green eyes widen in horror.  
  
Jet did not miss the way Scarlet's eyes widen and he laughed, "Yes, what you are  
  
thinking is true. I did take you, and I must say thank you for saving yourself for  
  
me. You really didn't have to my dear."   
  
Scarlet glared at him, as she slid off the bed, trying to make herself look decent at  
  
the same time. "You . . . You . . . monster!" she screamed.  
  
"Me the monster?" he asked in mock horror, "My dear how sadly mistaken you  
  
are. For you see, it is not I who am this monster but you!"  
  
"Years ago I would have believed you." She said softly, looking at her hands, "but  
  
time has taught me differently."  
  
"Is that so my dear?"  
  
"Stop calling me dear!" she yelled, "I am not your dear. I could never be your  
  
dear, not when you killed my family!"  
  
"Oh yes that." He said, laughing once again his deranged laughed. "You see my  
  
dear, I had to do that. For I knew your family was the one thing that was most  
  
important to you. You made me the laughing stock, when you spurned me for  
  
your filthy Mathias, So I had to find away to tear you apart. So I could redeem my  
  
good name." He paused watching her. He did so love this, how she acted like a  
  
cornered cat. "Would you like to hear of how your family died Scarlet? I can give  
  
you a first hand account, for I was there."  
  
"You really are sick." She said picking up a paper weight from the table next to it,  
  
She hurled it to him as she yelled, "I hope you rot in Shayol Ghul!"  
  
He dodged it and said, "Maybe I will, maybe I won't. But you'll be dead long  
  
before I am." He came closer to her, backing her against the table. He took her  
  
wrist in one of his hands, leaning in to kiss her roughly. "Now behave my dear and  
  
let me finish telling you of your family." He let go of her throwing her onto the  
  
bed.  
  
"I rode onto your farm with my men. I told them to torch the place. I knew it  
  
would make your family come running. Oh and run they did. Your father looked  
  
at me, as if he didn't remember me, I told them that I was here to hang them on  
  
charges of being dark friends and hiding a Tar Valon witch. You would have been  
  
proud of them. They accepted their fate and did not beg me to reconsider, Aren's  
  
last words were, and I quote, 'You'll never get Scarlet.' Looks like he was wrong,  
  
doesn't it?"   
  
Scarlet was now glaring at him, trying to think of a word or words bad enough to  
  
call him. Though for the life of her, she could not think of any bad enough to call  
  
him. "Light burn you Jet!" she yelled as she dove for his feet, she knocked him off  
  
his feet, stomping on his hand as she stood up.   
  
"We will see if Aren was wrong or right." She yelled running toward the door  
  
where he had carelessly left his sword, picking it she yelled, "Oh what a pretty  
  
peace bond, time to break it!" Quickly she broke it, with a laugh. "You wouldn't  
  
want the law people to see this would you?" she taunted an angered Jet, as he  
  
stepped toward her.   
  
*'You, fool girl, you don't know how to use a sword!* she thought to  
  
herself, *'So? He doesn't know that!*  
  
"Scarlet give it to me." He said holding out his hand, "Just give it to me, and I'll  
  
let you live. I'll even still take you as my wife."   
  
She snorted, "I'd rather be dead then your wife."  
  
"Be careful what you wish for!" he stepped forward mincingly, "I order by the law  
  
of the Children of the Light hand that sword to me, witch."  
  
"Ha, save it for someone who cares!" She yelled, "Your stupid cloak or title  
  
doesn't mean a flaming thing to me." She glared green fire at him and poked him  
  
in the belly with the point of the sword. "Go away leave me be." He backed up as  
  
she did, but not before Scarlet saw it behind his right shoulder.   
  
It stood there, glittering in all its splendor, calling her toward it. The silver arch  
  
that would carry her home. She let out a scream, as she heard the words, *The  
  
way back will come but once. Be Steadfast.* How could she choose?   
  
"Give me one more minute." She said. Jet looked at her as if she had lost her  
  
mind.  
  
"Give you one more minute?" he asked, but she ignored him. All she need was a  
  
few more minutes to whip Jet Loret off the face of the world.   
  
The arch faded in and out and the words once again echoed in Scarlet's mind.  
  
"Fine! I am coming." She yelled taking one more slash at Jet and dropped the  
  
sword as she ran toward the arch.  
  
She heard Jet yelling behind her. As the light consumed her, she thought *'I  
  
should have killed him.'*  
  
She tumbled out of the arch falling to the ground. Her green eyes were wide with  
  
the horror of her last arch as she looked around her, taking in the Aes Sedai with  
  
their emotionless expressions.   
  
"You all are so . . . " she trailed off, "Callous. You don't care!" she yelled as the  
  
second cup of water poured over her head and Serafim said, "You are washed  
  
clean of false pride. You are washed clean of false ambition. You come to us  
  
washed clean, in heart and soul." Yet for all she was hearing. Scarlet could be  
  
deaf. She felt numb from shock, disgust, grief, and horror.   
  
Serafim lead her to the last arch and said, "The third time is for what will be. The  
  
way back will come but once. Be steadfast."  
  
She took a step in the direction of the arch but turned and asked, "This last one  
  
is supposed to be the worst, is it not?"  
  
The nod she got was the only answer she got as she stepped into the light. It burnt  
  
her to the bones, but nothing no amount of pain would ever be able to burn away  
  
the memories of what happened inside these arches. 


	3. Illusioni di amore

As the searing fade, so did the memory of stepping through the arch. And so Scarlet began her third and final test, without even knowing it.  
  
Scarlet wondered where Mathias could be. She had not seen him all day, which wasn't like him at all. He normally came to see her in her study in his free time. Scarlet, herself had not been an Aes Sedai for that long. Only for a couple of months, and it had changed Mathias and hers relationship a little, since he was still an Accepted. Though hopefully he would soon be an Aes Sedai, and they could bond. They had married a year early, the ceremony done by Amyrlin herself. She remembered the reasons they had gave Hesper Sedai for wanting to marry then and there. They had been through too much to be together, to risk losing each other, and they did not want to wait. She laid a hand lovingly on her stomach. Her face breaking into a huge smile of glee as she waited. She hoped Mathias got back soon. She had such wonderful news to tell him. She hoped he would be as happy as she had been at the news. As she thought back to their wedding, she couldn't see how he could not be happy about what she had to   
  
tell him.  
  
*flashback*  
  
"Are you sure about doing this?" She had asked Mathias, referring to his wish to go and ask Hesper Sedai to give them permission to marry. Scarlet herself, highly doubted that Hesper would give the permission. She still thought they should just go into Tar Valon for the day and find a reader to marry them. She didn't give a bloody care if they got punished for it. In her opinion it was well worth it, if it meant she would be Mathias wife. For she loved him as much as a person could love someone.   
  
"Of course I am sure about it, Scarlet." He said taking her hand as they head to Hesper Sedai's study.  
  
Scarlet sighed as they walked. She knew when she was beaten she grinned and said, "I still think we should just go to . . . " she didn't get to finish. Mathias grinned at her, kissing her he said softly against her mouth, "I know what you think."   
  
Minutes later they both stood nervously waiting to be admitted to the Amyrlin's Seat study. Scarlet straighten her dress nervously. Mathias flashed her a nervous grin, and whispered, "Calm down." She gave him a look that said. I'll try.   
  
Scarlet curtsied as Mathias bowed, "Good morning my children." Hesper said, "How may I help you today?"  
  
"Mother, we were hoping you would give us permission to marry." Mathias said quickly.  
  
She looked them both over and said, "Accepted Scarlet, do you love him? Accepted Mathias do you love her?"  
  
"I love him with all my heart, Hesper Sedai." She said, "Nothing can change that."  
  
Mathias smiled and said, "Scarlet knows I love her, and I will till the end."   
  
"So why are you both in such a hurry to marry? Why can't you wait till you are both raised to the ranks of Aes Sedai? For to be Aes Sedai, it must be first in your life." She said gently  
  
"I love Mathias and I don't want to lose him . . . I've lost him in my arches. I nearly lost him in real life. I would rather be with Mathias then be Aes Sedai. He is more important to me then being Aes Sedai." She spoke frankly, "If we were married, when we both go through our final arch for become Aes Sedai, we would have a reason to come back, where some people don't and so therefore they don't come back."  
  
Mathias was about to speak when Hesper Sedai said, "I will marry you, if you both promise me that it won't interfere with your studies."   
  
They're thanks and promise that it wouldn't tumbled over each other. Each word competing to see if they could come out of their mouths faster. Hesper Sedai grinned and said, "Shall we start the ceremony?"  
  
*end of flashback*  
  
Scarlet smiled as she remembered it. That had to have been one of the happiest days of her life. She came out of her dream land as she heard Mathias voice. "Scarlet Sedai please look up at me." He said his voice holding a tone of laughter.  
  
Scarlet looked up, confused as to why he was sounding so formal. Had something bad happened, but as soon as she saw him, she knew why. She jumped up knocking her chair back and squealed. For standing there in front of her was Mathias . . . Sedai. He had been raised. She gave him a huge hug and a kiss and said, "So what ajah did you pick?" She doubted that he had picked her ajah.   
  
"Blue," he said as he kissed, "You know this means we can bond."   
  
Scarlet looked up a ghost of a smile on her lips. She hadn't even thought of that. "Yes we could, could we not?" She said softly.  
  
Mathias kneeled in front of Scarlet, his love, his wife, and said, "Aurora'Scarlet Sedai."  
  
She stood up brushing her skirts and asked quietly, "Mathias Sedai, my dearest, my love, my husband . . . I ask you to grant me permission to bond you to me."  
  
"Scarlet I love you with all my heart. Nothing can ever change that. I give you permission to bond me, if I may bond you also." He said standing up.  
  
She nodded her head in agreement. Embracing Saidar she wove the weaves she had learned early on in her Accepted hood. At the same time Mathias wove the weaves. The weaves settled around them at the same time.   
  
Scarlet sat back stunned momentarily as the bond effects started. It was so strange, being able to feel Mathias in her head. She felt the love move through the bond, and turned around into his arms. She loved him and he loved her. It was that feeling that reminded her of the news she had been waiting all afternoon to tell him.   
  
He felt her excitement over the bond and looked at her questioningly, "What pray, my dearest is so important, and has you so excited?"  
  
She giggled like a girl again and whispered softly in his ears, "You're going to be a father."   
  
He encircled her waist and brought her closer to her, and kissed her, "How wonderful." He whispered in her ear, as he kissed her again. They collapsed in a heap on the bed in a fit of giggles, brought on by love. It was there in each other arms that they fell asleep wrapped in the cloak of their love. Though no amount of love Mathias could give her could protect her from her dreams . . .   
  
*dream*  
  
Scarlet held onto her child, Tatum to her bosom. As she ran from the laughs behind her. This couldn't be happening. Not now, not when she had everything she wanted. But she knew that it was, Jet always had a way of coming back to haunt her when she thought her life was perfect. He knew Scarlet so well, though she no longer knew him the way she use to. He had gone mad, of that she was sure. Why was it that he never seemed to die? She thought to herself as she ran. Her breath coming in terrified gasps. Though her terror was more for her little daughter Tatum, then herself.   
  
"Scarlet come here dear. You can't run from me." He called into the night after her. He laughed, would, she never stop being like a corner cat, couldn't she just accept her fate? His laugh chased Scarlet as she ran.   
  
"I'll never come to you Jet." She yelled behind her as she ran.  
  
"Scarlet I'll find you, you can't hide, and you can't hide Tatum from me either." He shouted as he spied Scarlet's honey colored hair flare out behind her.   
  
She stopped at the forks in the road, clearly debating what fork to take. That one moment of hesitation was going to cost her. A very hefty price, indeed very heavy. As he came to her, his hand sneak out covering her mouth. He whispered in her ear, 'I have you now.'  
  
Scarlet screamed a blood curling scream.  
  
*end dreams*  
  
Mathias gentle woke Scarlet, "What is it?" he asked concern etched in his voice, and moving across the bond.   
  
Tears rolled down her checks as she clung to him, "Oh it was horrible. I haven't had that dream in of so long."  
  
Mathias cooed softly to her as he rocked her, "Its okay, its okay. He can't hurt you."  
  
"I know, but it's just I fear him so much. It's ridiculous, isn't it?" she said softly, "I mean I know he's dead."  
  
"No Scarlet, It's not you have every reason to fear him, even if you are supposed to be a fearless Aes Sedai."  
  
Scarlet went to reply but nothing came out, instead she looked over Mathias shoulder at something that glittered there. A silver arch. Horror at what it meant dawned on her face, no, no not now. She didn't want to go back, she had everything she wanted here, in this place. "I just won't go." She whispered softly.  
  
"What Scarlet?" he asked turning around to see what had her so transfixed.   
  
"Nothing." She said unaware of the fact that he could see the arch. See it in all its glittering splendor.  
  
"Scarlet I can see it, and you must go back." He said softly looking her straight in the eyes.  
  
"You can see it?" she asked disbelieving, "But that's not possible." Since she knew that only she was supposed to be able to see the arch.  
  
"It doesn't matter if I am supposed to see it or not. I can and I know what it means. You have to go back." He said pushing her gently toward the awaiting arch.  
  
She dug in her heels and said, "No Mathias I don't want to go back. I have everything I want here!"  
  
Mathias took her gently by the shoulders and said, "Scarlet this isn't real, You must go back. This is only an Illusion, not real and we both know this."  
  
"Who cares if it is only an Illusion. It seems real enough to me."  
  
He reached in his pocket taking out a gold locket, "I was going to give this to you at a later date but take it now. Go home Scarlet. Go and make your dreams came real. Go somewhere where it is not an Illusion."  
  
"But you are here." She cried closing her hand around the locket.  
  
"I'll be waiting for you. I promise Scarlet." He said and before she could get another world in he pushed her into the arch. He watched her disappear. A sad look in his eye for he had just sent the love of his life away. Even though it was for her own good. "I love you Scarlet." He whispered.  
  
Scarlet felt the light rip her apart but she didn't feel a thing. A smile hovered on her face, for Mathias had sent her back. But it was okay, he was waiting for her. He said so himself. She tumbled out of the arch. The gold locket still was firmly enclosed in her hand.  
  
"Where is he?" she asked as she came out of the arch. It shut off behind her, and as it did so did the truth. He wasn't waiting for. She remembered it now. All too clearly. They hadn't been together since she returned to the tower.   
  
Her green eyes watered and she whispered, "He said he'd be waiting, that is the only reason I came back." She turned back around and hurled herself back at the arch.  
  
She felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She looked up into the face of an Aes Sedai. Her green eyes were murderous as she met the other pair of eyes. "I hate you, all of you. I left them all of them. Aren, Kara, my family, Mathias, Tatum . . . " she trailed off for it was just then that it dawn on her, she had killed her unborn child by stepping through that arch.   
  
It was that thought that was her undoing and she fell to the floor. All the tears that she had been holding back through this whole ordeal came. They came in torrents as she sat huddled on the floor as the ceremony was finished. Her only coherent thought was, 'Was it worth it?'As she opened the gold locket and saw Mathias and her together, looking happy. The inside was engraved with the words, 'I love you' Those three words made the tears come harder. 


End file.
